19 ex-Cardinal on opening day NFL active rosters

There were 19 former Stanford players on opening day 53-man NFL rosters, according to the league. The list includes five players from last year’s Fiesta Bowl team: Johnson Bademosi (Browns), Coby Fleener (Colts), Delano Howell (Bills), Andrew Luck (Colts) and Jonathan Martin (Dolphins). David DeCastro (Steelers), of course, would have made it six, except that he had a severe knee injury in the preseason.

Stanford’s total of active pros ranks tied for 26th. Cal is tied for ninth with 25. USC, the Cardinal’s opponent this week, easily tops the list with 44.

Stanford, by the way, is tied with USC and Iowa for the most active NFL tight ends with five. USC has the most quarterbacks, five, and Pitt the most running backs, five. Miami and Ohio State are tied with the most wide receivers, seven. Texas has 10 defensive backs. And Penn State is still Linebacker U. with 8, tied with USC.